The murder of Teresa Rubio: Son arrested after cops find 'most gruesome' crime scene

Rubio’s son, Alejandro Gonzalez, had been released from prison earlier that day.

UPDATED OCT 1, 2024

An intensive manhunt was launched, as officers believed Gonzalez could pose a threat to others.

Glendale, Arizona: A 25-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the murder of his mother, who was found decapitated inside her home over the weekend.

Authorities have identified the victim as 49-year-old Teresa de Jesus Cruz Rubio, whose family had planned to surprise her with a birthday party on Friday. When she failed to show up, concerned family members went to her home, leading to the discovery of the crime.

Family members, unable to access the locked house, called a locksmith. Upon entering, they found her body and immediately contacted the police, reporting that Cruz Rubio had been decapitated. Officers arriving at the scene described it as one of the most gruesome they had ever encountered, with the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds in addition to the decapitation.

Detectives quickly identified Rubio’s son, Alejandro Gonzalez, as a suspect. Gonzalez had been living with his mother and was missing from the scene, along with Rubio’s vehicle. Investigators found a knife in the kitchen sink that appeared to have blood and hair on it, and it looked as though someone had attempted to clean it.

An intensive manhunt was launched, as officers believed Gonzalez, having committed such a heinous crime, could pose a threat to others. Gonzalez was eventually spotted and taken into custody early Saturday morning. Authorities noted that he had blood on his body and clothes at the time of his arrest.

During questioning, Gonzalez confessed to the murder, admitting to stabbing his mother and decapitating her. He also revealed that he had been released from jail earlier that day and had been smoking meth. Gonzalez initially claimed that someone else had stabbed his mother first, but investigators found no evidence to support that claim.

According to Arizona's Family Gonzalez has a previous conviction for aggravated assault on a police officer from 2021. He pleaded guilty as charged in October 2022 and was released from state custody nearly 11 months later. Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said Gonzalez was arrested last week for criminal damage after allegedly breaking a window at a Fry’s Food gas station. That case is still under investigation.

Gonzalez is now facing charges of first-degree murder, and the investigation is ongoing.